Ken Watanabe's Initial Doubts Over Kabuki Film Prove Unfounded as Kokuho Triumphs
A three-hour period drama centered on kabuki, the centuries-old Japanese theatrical tradition, hardly seems like a recipe for box office success. Yet that is precisely the remarkable achievement of Kokuho, director Lee Sang-il's adaptation of Shuichi Yoshida's novel, which emerged as Japan's highest-grossing domestic live-action film last year.
Star Ken Watanabe, the acclaimed actor known for Hollywood roles in Inception and Detective Pikachu, initially expressed serious reservations about the project. While he admired the source material, Watanabe worried that kabuki's intricate artistry might not translate effectively to cinema.
"Don't Do That": Watanabe's Early Skepticism
"'Don't do that,'" Watanabe recalls telling director Sang-il when first presented with the concept. "Kabuki is a very strict culture in Japan, and it's hard for a normal actor to play in a kabuki play." Despite these concerns, the film defied expectations, achieving both critical and commercial success.
Now, Kokuho is poised to reach international audiences, with its theatrical release across the United States beginning February 20th. The film's narrative spans five decades, from 1964 to 2014, following two aspiring kabuki performers dedicated to mastering the demanding onnagata tradition—male actors specializing in female roles.
Intensive Training and Physical Demands
The production required extraordinary commitment from its cast. The two lead actors, Ryo Yoshizawa and Ryusei Yokohama, underwent approximately 18 months of rigorous training to perfect the specific, physically challenging movements of kabuki performance.
Watanabe, whose character appears less frequently in performance scenes, still dedicated around four months to learning the necessary choreography. The process was further complicated by heavy wigs, elaborate costumes, and extended shooting schedules.
"All difficult things connect to joy," Watanabe reflects on the preparation. "It's all part of a process of getting somewhere. So I never really felt like it was painful or extremely difficult. However, I do complain on occasion. Just sometimes."
Mentorship On-Screen, Equality Off-Screen
In the film, Watanabe portrays Hanjiro, a legendary kabuki actor who mentors two young performers played by child actors Sōya Kurokawa and Keitatsu Koshiyama. "My role was to watch these two characters from being a child to becoming these great kabuki actors, so I was this watchful eye throughout their careers," Watanabe explains.
Despite his on-screen mentorship role, Watanabe maintains a different approach to his real-life interactions with fellow actors. "When I was young, I always felt that acting with others was like stepping into the same ring, and that our career and level of experience doesn't matter," he states. "I still approach acting the same way. I don't take the role of a teacher or someone who guides in real life, because we're all equals stepping up into the same ring."
Unexpected Success and Emotional Impact
The actor remains somewhat mystified by the film's phenomenal reception. He attributes part of its appeal to the meticulous production design, including authentic kabuki costumes, performances, and period-appropriate sets that evolve throughout the decades depicted.
"I realized that young people love this movie," Watanabe says after monitoring social media reactions following the Japanese premiere. "Then maybe a month later, we couldn't believe the success."
For Watanabe, whose career began on stage and includes a Broadway lead role in The King and I in 2015, working on Kokuho proved a deeply nostalgic experience. "I couldn't stop the tears seeing the final moment of this film," he confesses, describing the emotional impact of viewing the completed project.
The journey from initial skepticism to triumphant success underscores how Kokuho has transcended expectations, bringing the refined world of kabuki to mainstream audiences while delivering a powerful exploration of artistic dedication across generations.
